The present invention relates to a printer, particularly a matrix printer.
Printers of the type to which the invention pertains are constructed to have a matrix print head which is being moved by means of a drive across a print surface and adjacent to an ink ribbon. Supplemental drives are provided for paper advance and for advancing the ink ribbon. These supplemental drives may be separate motors which, however, operate only alternatingly as the ribbon is advanced during printing only and paper is advanced when printing proper is not in progress.
It is also known to branch the supplemental drive power from the print head drive, thus being the main drive of the system. That common drive motor has to have a higher power rating accordingly in order to be able to drive the print head carriage, the ink ribbon system, and the paper advance mechanism. While seemingly economical from the viewpoint of the number of drives (versus three drives), the linkage has posed some problems.